Abstract:
Tomato is an important cash crop in Gondar Zuria district of Amhara National Regional state,
Ethiopia. However, the yield is constrained by lack of nutrient and high yielder varieties. Field
experiment was conducted at Tach Teda Kebele in Gondar Zuria district with the objective of
assessing the effect of NPSBZn fertilizer rates on growth, yield and quality of hybrid tomato
varieties and identifying the optimum levels of NPSBZn fertilizer rate for hybrid tomato production
under irrigation condition. The treatments consisted of seven rates of NPSBZn blended fertilizer
(control, 33, 66, 100, 133, 166, and 200 % RDF recommended dose for open varieties) and two
hybrid tomato varieties (Galilea and Shanty PM). The experiments were laid out on a split plot
design with three replications. Data were collected on crop phenology, growth, fruit yield and fruit
quality parameters and subjected to analysis of variance using R computer program version 4.0.0.
The analysis of the result revealed that the main effect (fertilizer rates) and the interaction effect
of NPSBZn rates and varieties had highly significant effect on most of the growth, fruit yield and
quality of tomato. Significantly highest marketable fruit yield (61.49tha
-1
), fruit TSS (4.2
0
Brix),
firmness (18.9 N) and shelf life (22.5 days) recorded from 200 % RDF NPSBZn fertilizer rate.
Significantly highest physiological weight loss was recorded from the control at all days of
storage. The highest total yield (69.80 t ha
-1
) was recorded from the interaction of 450 Kg ha
-1
of
NPSBZn fertilizer rate and Galilea. The partial budget analysis revealed that 200 % RDF NPSBZn
fertilizer combined with Galilea showed high MRR (2301.20 %) and highest NB (201,776.7ETB
ha
-1
) followed by 200 % RDF combined with Shanty PM which gives 188,632.2 ETB ha-
1
with
375.47 % of MRR. Therefore, growing Galilea with 200 % RDF NPSBZn blended fertilizer rate
can be recommended for optimum tomato production in Gondar Zuria district and similar agroecologies.
